Families at the Gregorio Marañón school in La Cala del Moral report that there is only one support professional for ten students with special needs, with reduced hours from 12:00 to 14:00. This Tuesday, September 22, they are gathering at the school gates.
Families at the Gregorio Marañón school in La Cala del Moral, in Rincón de la Victoria, have received a message via the iPasen application from the Junta de Andalucía confirming in writing what they already knew: the centre only has one Social Integration Technical Personnel (PTIS) professional to assist students with Specific Educational Support Needs (Neae). According to Diario Sur, this worker's hours were set at the beginning of the school year from 12:00 to 14:00, which forces families to take on tasks such as mobility, hygiene, or supervision during recess in the morning.
Fátima Sánchez Yussep, mother of a 5-year-old student, explains that her son Leo started at the school two years ago when there were two PTIS. "Until twelve, they are abandoned," she complains. The situation is similar to the previous year when the PTIS's working hours were already reduced, prompting this mother to gather signatures and launch a campaign to the Andalusian educational authorities. "I can afford it; I have a leave of absence, but not everyone has this option," she criticises.
Another affected parent is Estefanía Indara Pérez Guillén, whose daughter Jade, with autism spectrum disorder, needs to wear a nappy and cannot eat alone. This often results in her being called to the school to assist her daughter. "These are public resources, mandated by law; I don't understand how it's not possible to have them," she reflects.
Izquierda Unida has joined the complaints of these families. "For a good part of the school hours, these children do not have the specialised support they need to address basic aspects of their daily lives such as hygiene, nutrition, mobility, or physiological needs," states Rocío Calderón, local coordinator and spokesperson at the City Council. "Families are already making an enormous effort. It is not fair that they also have to bear these shortcomings," criticises Calderón, who calls on the Junta de Andalucía and the Department of Educational Development for solutions and municipal involvement.
For this Tuesday, September 22, eleven days after the start of the school year, a gathering is planned at the gates of the school.
For its part, the Department of Education explains that the Gregorio Marañón school has 10 students this year who require attention from Social Integration Technical Personnel. Currently, the centre has two PTIS: one contracted by the Public Education Agency of Andalucía (APAE), with a schedule of 15 hours per week after having increased its hours by 5 compared to the previous year, and another belonging to Public Function, with a schedule of 30 hours per week at the centre. This latter professional is to be replaced; the procedure has already been processed and is expected to be incorporated in the coming days.
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